Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook Visits China as iPhone Sales Surge in the Asian Nation

FomoAnxiety · 2026-03-20T23:23:41+00:00

Tim Cook is visiting China amid rising iPhone 17 sales, marking Apple's 50th anniversary. Despite geopolitical tensions, Apple remains vital in the Chinese market, reducing App Store fees and gaining market share. Analysts rate AAPL stock as a Moderate Buy with a positive price target.

FomoAnxiety

2026-03-20 23:23:41

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Apple AAPL -0.33% ▼ CEO Tim Cook is visiting China as sales of the latest iPhone 17 model soar in the Asian nation of 1.4 billion people.

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Cook is in China for the next week for celebrations of the company’s 50th anniversary. The visit comes as data shows that Apple’s iPhone is enjoying a resurgence in China, and after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which had put major levies on the company’s Chinese imports.

Despite tensions and geopolitical issues in recent years, China remains d a critical market for Apple. Days before Cook’s visit, Apple cut its mainland China App Store commission fee from 30% to 25% on in-app purchases and paid transactions. Apple also reduced fees for smaller developers and mini-app partners to 12% from 15%.

iPhone Sales in China

The latest data from Counterpoint Research shows that Apple’s iPhone sales in China surged 23% in the first nine weeks of this year, outperforming the broader smartphone market that declined 4%. After years of stagnant sales, Apple is once again outperforming competitors in the Chinese marketplace.

Unlike its rivals, Apple isn’t raising prices on its phones in China. Counterpoint also noted in its latest report on China smartphone sales that Apple is absorbing part of its margin pressure and expanding its market share within the country. China is Apple’s second largest market after the U.S.

Is AAPL Stock a Buy?

Apple stock has a consensus Moderate Buy rating among 24 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on 14 Buy, nine Hold, and one Sell recommendations issued in the last three months. The average AAPL price target of $304.66 implies 22.35% upside from current levels.

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